SRC, Inc.

CONTENDER CPS 45

A not-for-profit research and development company developing advanced defense technologies including counter-UAS systems, radars, and electronic warfare solutions.

North Syracuse, New York, United States·Founded 1957·~1,000 emp·PRIVATE · srcinc.com ↗ ↓ JSON ↓ MD
Researched 2026-03-08 ● Current
SRC, Inc. — robotics.press intelligence card

SRC, Inc. is a credible, mission-focused not-for-profit R&D and manufacturing organization with combat-proven, program-of-record defense systems (CREW Duke, LCMR radars, Silent Archer C-UAS) deployed across U.S. military services. Its deep EW and radar expertise, end-to-end R&D-to-manufacturing capability, and alignment with the high-growth C-UAS mission area position it well, though limited financial transparency and heavy dependence on U.S. government budgets constrain its investability and scale ceiling.

Moat NARROW

- AN/-designated programs of record (CREW Duke, LCMR family) create high switching costs and long-term sustainment lock-in with U.S. military - Deep EW signal processing expertise and EWIRDB mission data contributions create institutional knowledge barriers - Not-for-profit structure enables reinvestment-driven R&D intensity that for-profit competitors may not match in niche areas - Integrated R&D-to-manufacturing pipeline via SRCTec provides end-to-end control uncommon among mid-tier defense R&D firms - 67+ year relationship history with U.S. defense and intelligence community customers

Management ADEQUATE

Specific executive leadership details are not available in public sources, limiting direct assessment. However, structural indicators — 67 years of continuous operation, multiple program-of-record achievements, strategic creation of SRCTec manufacturing subsidiary and international subsidiaries — suggest experienced and strategically minded governance. The not-for-profit reinvestment model aligns leadership incentives with long-term mission outcomes rather than short-term financial extraction.

Financials OPAQUE
Bull Case

Multiple AN/-designated programs of record (CREW Duke AN/VLQ-12, LCMR AN/TPQ-48/49/50) indicate formal U.S. military adoption, fielded credibility, and recurring sustainment revenue streams

Silent Archer C-UAS system is well-positioned in one of the fastest-growing defense mission areas, leveraging SRC's heritage in RF/EW and multi-sensor fusion

Not-for-profit reinvestment model enables long-term R&D investment without quarterly earnings pressure, supporting sustained innovation in rapidly evolving threat domains

End-to-end capability from R&D through SRCTec manufacturing and life cycle management creates stickiness and differentiates from pure R&D labs or hardware-only providers

International expansion via subsidiaries in Australia, Canada, and UK signals strategic diversification beyond U.S. federal budget dependency

Broad customer base spanning U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, NASIC, DHS, CDC, EPA, and intelligence community demonstrates cross-domain credibility and reduces single-program risk

Bear Case

Not-for-profit structure with no public financial disclosures makes revenue sizing, growth trajectory, and financial health assessment extremely difficult for external diligence

Heavy concentration in U.S. government procurement exposes SRC to defense budget cycles, continuing resolutions, and shifting acquisition priorities

C-UAS market is increasingly crowded with both large primes (RTX, Northrop Grumman, L3Harris) and well-funded startups, creating intense competitive pressure on Silent Archer

Estimated ~1,000 employees limits scale relative to prime contractors, potentially constraining ability to compete for large platform-level programs

International subsidiaries are relatively new and unproven; success depends on export compliance, local partnerships, and certification in allied markets

Third-party financial estimates ($500M-$1B revenue range) are unreliable and contain conflicting metadata, leaving true financial scale uncertain

Key Risks

U.S. defense budget concentration: continuing resolutions or sequestration-style cuts could directly impact contract flow and revenue

Competitive displacement in C-UAS: large primes with greater resources and established platform relationships could marginalize Silent Archer

Rapid threat evolution in EW/drone domains requires continuous R&D spend; failure to keep pace could erode fielded system relevance

International expansion execution risk: export controls (ITAR/EAR), local competition, and allied procurement preferences may limit overseas growth

Opaque financials prevent external stakeholders from assessing financial health, debt levels, or contract backlog strength

Key person and institutional knowledge risk in a ~1,000-person organization with deep specialized expertise

Catalysts

Accelerating global C-UAS procurement driven by Ukraine conflict lessons learned and proliferation of commercial drones in contested environments

U.S. DoD emphasis on rapid EW reprogramming and adaptive electronic warfare creates demand for SRC's EWIRDB and signal processing capabilities

Potential international contract wins through new Australian, Canadian, and UK subsidiaries aligned with AUKUS and Five Eyes defense cooperation

Army modernization programs emphasizing distributed sensing, lightweight radars, and layered air defense could drive LCMR follow-on contracts

Growing homeland security and critical infrastructure C-UAS requirements (airports, government facilities) expand addressable market beyond traditional military customers

Irreplaceability 5
Market Weight
Tech Differentiation
Operational Deployment
Strategic Momentum
Ecosystem Influence
Coverage Necessity
Fin. Valuation
Fin. Revenue
TypeQuick Research
Published2026-03-08
Length2,356 words · 10 min read
Sources13 sources cited

Generated by automated research. Cross-reference with primary sources before investment decisions.

Lightweight Counter-Mortar Radar (LCMR) AN/TPQ-50 Fixed · FIELDED
└─ A lightweight, mobile counter-mortar radar designed to detect and locate incoming indirect fire for force protection and counter-battery response. Part of the LCMR counterfire radar family (AN/TPQ-48/49/50). Designed for forward-deployed counterfire radar in expeditionary settings. Carries formal U.S. military AN/ designation indicating integration into official military nomenclature and supply systems.
Electronic Warfare Integrated Reprogramming Database (EWIRDB) Software · FIELDED
└─ Intelligence and software support system providing EW mission data, threat signal libraries, and timely threat updates for fielded electronic warfare systems. SRC contributes to the EWIRDB, supporting adaptive EW mission data pipelines and rapid reprogramming cycles. Addresses accelerating pace of threat-emitter evolution. Serves DoD and the intelligence community.
Lightweight Counter-Mortar Radar (LCMR) AN/TPQ-49 Fixed · FIELDED
└─ A lightweight, mobile counter-mortar radar designed to detect and locate incoming indirect fire for force protection and counter-battery response. Part of the LCMR counterfire radar family (AN/TPQ-48/49/50). Designed for forward-deployed counterfire radar in expeditionary settings. Carries formal U.S. military AN/ designation indicating integration into official military nomenclature and supply systems.
CREW Duke (AN/VLQ-12) Fixed · FIELDED
└─ An electronic countermeasure system designed for vehicle and convoy protection against radio-controlled threats and counter-IED/counter-RCIED applications. Carries formal U.S. military AN/VLQ-12 designation indicating integration into official military nomenclature and supply systems. Primary users include U.S. Army and joint forces. Competes and collaborates within an EW ecosystem that includes large primes such as RTX, Northrop Grumman, and L3Harris. SRC's differentiation includes speed-to-field on niche problems, deep signal-processing expertise, and mission-data integration capabilities.
Silent Archer Fixed · FIELDED
└─ An integrated counter-UAS solution combining sensors, electronic warfare, and effectors for drone detection, tracking, and defeat across tactical and fixed-site applications. Aligns with one of the most rapidly expanding defense mission areas as small drones become ubiquitous threats across battlefields and critical infrastructure. Viability hinges on multi-sensor fusion, EW proficiency, and ease of integration. Primary users include DoD and DHS/critical infrastructure. Competes in a crowded C-UAS field with primes and startups offering RF, radar, EO/IR, and effector stacks. SRC's EW heritage and sensor fusion capability are key differentiators.
Lightweight Counter-Mortar Radar (LCMR) AN/TPQ-48 Fixed · FIELDED
└─ A lightweight, mobile counter-mortar radar designed to detect and locate incoming indirect fire for force protection and counter-battery response. Part of the LCMR counterfire radar family (AN/TPQ-48/49/50). Designed for forward-deployed counterfire radar in expeditionary settings. Carries formal U.S. military AN/ designation indicating integration into official military nomenclature and supply systems. Differentiation historically based on mobility, size/weight/power (SWaP), and integration with fielded command-and-control systems.
Anthony O. Stewart Director, SRCTec LLC
Kevin Hair President & CEO
SRC, Inc. Contact
Directed energy L3 · Kinetic Defeat
Micro-Doppler L3 · Radar
Threat classification L3 · AI / Analytics
Drone signal detection L3 · RF Detection
Phased array L3 · Radar
Computer vision L3 · AI / Analytics
3D tracking L3 · Radar
RF Detection L2 · Detection
Patrol & Surveillance L1
Direction finding L3 · RF Detection
RF Jamming L2 · Neutralization
Signal classification L3 · RF Detection
Wide-area surveillance L3 · Area Monitoring
Perimeter Patrol L2 · Patrol & Surveillance
Area Monitoring L2 · Patrol & Surveillance
Multi-sensor fusion L3 · Visual Detection
Cyber Defeat L2 · Neutralization
Smart jamming L3 · RF Jamming
Visual Detection L2 · Detection
Kinetic Defeat L2 · Neutralization
Forced landing L3 · Cyber Defeat
Command and control L3 · C2 / Fleet Management
C2 / Fleet Management L2 · Autonomy & Software
Data fusion L3 · AI / Analytics
Neutralization L1
Autonomy & Software L1
FMCW L3 · Radar
Detection L1
AI / Analytics L2 · Autonomy & Software
Spectrum analysis L3 · RF Detection
Anomaly detection L3 · Perimeter Patrol
Radar L2 · Detection

News & Analysis

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